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Disney Casts Actors of Color to Play Fictional White Characters – Impactful or Opportunistic?

The studio has faced criticism for hiring non-white actors to portray roles depicted in Disney cartoons as white for its live-action remakes.

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This year, Disney is gearing up to release live-action remakes of ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘Peter Pan.’ Each will feature a Black actor playing a fictional character originally portrayed by a white actor. Halle Bailey, a Black actress and singer, is set to portray the beloved red-haired, fish-tailed under-the-sea princess Ariel. Yara Shahidi, a daughter of an Iranian father and an African-American mother, will star as Peter Pan’s most trusted fairy friend Tinkerbell. Both movies are scheduled to be released in the next two months.
 
The casting decisions came with backlash from a vast number of Twitter and Redditt users, who claim – “blackwashing” childhood characters (i.e., taking an originally white character and making them a person of color) will not solve the lack of inclusivity in Hollywood. But is that really why they so passionately stand against it? The negative attention on Little Mermaid and Tinker Bell has also fueled great support from other fans who view such anger as racist behavior. “Those opposed to diversity on screen are the ones fighting it in real life,” one Twitter user wrote. Rob Marshall, who directs the upcoming Little Mermaid remake, admitted he was caught off guard by some of the negative responses that came with casting Bailey. “I wasn’t anticipating that because, in a way, I felt like we’ve moved so far past that kind of thing.” He also insisted there was no agenda in Disney’s decision to hire the 22-year-old, “We just were looking for the best actor for the role, period. The end,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “We saw everybody and every ethnicity. The goal was to find someone who can be incredibly strong, passionate, beautiful, smart, clever, and with a great deal of fire and joy,” Marshall explained.
 
For a few years now, Disney, among other media companies, has made an effort to
redeem itself from a century-long history of producing controversial movies and
animated films (‘Song of the South,’ ‘Dumbo, ‘The Aristocrats”), some of which have been deemed racist or ‘culturally outdated’ as Disney conveniently describes it. Most recently, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company announced a diversity and inclusion program ‘Reimagine Tomorrow,’ that is committed to “amplifying underrepresented voices and untold stories as well as championing the importance of accurate representation in media and entertainment.” Casting more people of color could count as a way to honor their commitment, but is changing the ethnicity of established characters the best solution? Some argue that it could be. Several previously released remakes that followed this model have done well, despite surrounding controversy.

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella cast/ Disney

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella cast/ Disney

In 1997, Disney released Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, a reimagining of the famed tale. It did not just have a non-white main cast but also received a budget of $12 million, which ranked it among the most expensive television films ever made. The remake featured Brandy, an African-American actor/singer, as Cinderella, the late Whitney Houston as Fairy Godmother, Paulo Montalban, an Asian actor as Prince Christopher, and Victor Garber and Whoopi Goldberg as the king and queen. Although the non-traditional reiteration of the Disney story received mixed reviews from critics, it was met with a lot of praise, specifically from the Black community. “This Cinderella remake is such a beautiful, magical gem of a movie filled with a multiracial cast, and I can’t believe it came out in 1997! Talk about progressive!” a review on IMDb reads. “I think this live-action Cinderella movie is my most favorite. I love the songs and the comedy. Most of the actors are familiar. This movie also teaches us that no matter what we look like, black, white, Asian, we are all the same,” another fan wrote in his five-star review.

Most recently, Disney doubled down on casting non-white actors to star in their remakes. Aside from the aforementioned ‘Little Mermaid’ and ‘Peter Pan’ films, Rachel Zegler, a Latina actress, was cast to play Snow White in a movie scheduled to be released in 2024. Disney’s ‘Wonder Years’ reboot features an all-Black main cast. Zendaya plays MJ in the new Spider-Man movies. And that’s not just with Disney. Amazon Prime Video recently cast Afro-Latino actor Ismael Cruz Córdova to play Arondir, a Silvan elf, in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.’ The reimagining of ‘The West Side Story’ featured Latino actors in leading roles. Almost every casting announcement caused a social media stir.

Rachel Zegler spotted on the set of ‘Snow White’

But why remake in the first place? According to Dr. Matthew Jones, Film Studies lecturer at De Montfort University in Leicester, “Remake and reboot culture is not new. It’s often framed as something novel and unique to our postmodern times, but there is actually a rich tradition of remakes in Western film culture,” he told Cosmopolitan. So why are they still being made? The answer is fairly simple – remakes are a safe financial bet. Studios capitalize on people’s nostalgia and the connections they already have with their favorite characters. “The most secure option for studios is always going to be something we call a ‘pre-sold property,’ Dr. Jones continued, “meaning films with pre-existing fan audiences. And what types of films have fan audiences before they are even released? Remakes, reboots, and sequels do, precisely because they are already properties familiar to audiences and which some people will feel an emotional attachment to already.”

Those opposed to Disney’s casting decisions to ‘race swap’ insist the company should focus on creating original characters and storylines instead of reimagining the ones they have become so accustomed to. “Another remake! Did Hollywood run out of ideas?” One Reddit user asked. “Disney is only changing the race/ethnicity of characters in live-action remakes to spark controversy and get more people talking about the movie rather than trying to bring minorities to light as protagonists,” another speculated. However, it’s no secret that the United States has a long and dark history of racial discrimination and injustice. So, when minority groups are shown outside of the tired, stereotypical roles or, furthermore, play roles that are considered “traditionally” white – it implies a change that some simply don’t want to accept.

Indeed, Disney had succeeded in the past in introducing original non-white animated characters such as Mulan (the live-action version was released in 2020), Tiana in ‘Princess and the Frog’ (the remake is currently in the works), Moana, and most recently, the family of ‘Encanto.’ But original content inevitably means more resources spent, and with remakes that deliver guaranteed financial gains and casting decisions that bring attention (positive or negative), studios seem to achieve desirable results still. Additionally, the cultural and racial diversification of Disney’s fan base and the pressure to acknowledge and show more of those faces on the screen pushes the company to do just that. So the main question remains – does Hollywood genuinely cares about inclusivity, or is it just adjusting for the sake of profits? No matter the answer, one thing is clear – Disney is not going anywhere any time soon, and neither are the Black, Asian, Latino, and other non-white people across the globe. Those who have a problem will just have to learn to live with it.

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Ryan Coogler Confirms Denzel Washington Will Star in ‘Black Panther 3’

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Black Panther 3

Ryan Coogler, the acclaimed director of Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, has confirmed that Hollywood legend Denzel Washington will join the cast of Black Panther 3. This announcement came during Coogler’s appearance on the 7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony podcast, where he revealed that he has written a role specifically for the two-time Oscar winner, whom he regards as “the greatest living actor.”

Washington first hinted at his involvement in the Marvel project during a November 2024 interview on the Today show in Australia, generating excitement among fans. Coogler, who has long admired Washington, expressed his enthusiasm about their upcoming collaboration, noting their close relationship and Washington’s cultural significance. “Denzel is family at this point,” he said in the interview.

Black Panther
Ryan Coogler and Chadwick Boseman/ Black Panther

Although Marvel Studios has not officially announced Black Panther 3, the franchise’s success, having grossed over $2 billion globally from its first two films, makes a third installment a logical step. The film is still in early development, and while there is no confirmed release date, Coogler hinted that it’s “not long” away, potentially targeting a 2028 release following Avengers: Secret Wars.

Speculation about Washington’s role is abundant, with fans suggesting he could portray a new Wakandan character, a historical figure like Bashenga, or even a multiverse variant of T’Challa or T’Chaka. The emotional connection to the late Chadwick Boseman, who credited Washington’s mentorship for his career, adds significant weight to this casting choice.

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Here Is Why Halle Berry Declined Van Hunt’s Proposal After 5 Years Of Dating

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Halle Berry

Halle Berry and Van Hunt went public with their relationship in September 2020. After five years of dating, Hunt, a Grammy-winning musician, proposed to the Oscar-winning actress, but Berry has not yet accepted.

Berry’s decision to decline Hunt’s proposal, at least for now, stems primarily from her history with marriage. The actress has been married three times previously—to former MLB player David Justice (1993–1997), singer Eric Benét (2001–2005), and actor Olivier Martinez (2013–2016). She also shares a daughter, Nahla, 17, with ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, and a son, Maceo, 11, with Martinez. Hunt has been married once and has a teenage son, Drake.

Halle Berry and Van Hunt
Halle Berry and Van Hunt at 2023 Oscars

During the Today interview, Berry explained, “Well, I’ve been married three times. Van has been married once, and so no, we don’t feel like we have to get married to validate our love in any way. We don’t.”

While Berry has not accepted Hunt’s proposal, she has not ruled out marriage entirely. In the same interview, she expressed that she believes Hunt is the right partner for her, stating, “I think we will get married just because, out of the people I’ve been married to, this is the person I should have married.” She added that any future marriage would be a choice made out of desire for expression, not obligation, and hinted at a potential wedding “soon.”

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Batwoman’s Javicia Leslie Gets Engaged in Napa Valley

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Batwoman

Batwoman‘s star Javicia Leslie is engaged!

The 37-year-old shared the exciting news via Instagram earlier today with a caption that reads, “An answered prayer.”

According to his bio, Leslie’s now-fiancé, Nana-Yaw Asamoah, is a New York native and a sports and entertainment executive. He currently serves as the Chief Commercial Officer of AMB Sports and Entertainment.

While the couple’s romantic relationship has not been public until now, Leslie has been open about being bisexual. In fact, she is the first Black and queer woman to play the aforementioned DC’s superhero.

During an interview on E! News’ Daily Pop, the actress shared that her role in the CW series inspired her to come out to her mom.  “For me, I never felt like I had to hide anything,” Leslie said. “That wasn’t really where I was coming from. I just hadn’t had a conversation, so I just wanted to talk to my mom about it because I was living my life. I just wanted to be able to talk to her so she didn’t have to be told through the media.”

Batwoman's Javicia Leslie
Javicia Leslie as Batwoman/ CW

According to the shared Instagram post, Asamoah proposed to Leslie in Napa Valley, at what appears to be a winery, in front of a beautiful mountain backdrop. Friends, family, and fans flooded the comment section with congratulations and best wishes to the couple. We are joining in as well!

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